Sunday, March 27, 2011

Minneapolis Emergency Protest Demands 'Hands Off Libya': Philippines Progressives Oppose War on Libya

Minneapolis emergency protest demands ‘Hands off Libya’

By Staff | March 21, 2011

Tracy Molm lead chants at a protest against war on Libya

(Fight Back! News/Staff) Minneapolis, MN

About 75 protesters demanding an end to the U.S.-led war on Libya gathered at the Federal Building here, March 21. The demonstration was initiated by Women Against Military Madness and endorsed by the Anti-War Committee, the Twin Cities Peace Campaign and others.

Speaking at the rally, Meredith Aby of the Anti-War Committee said, “Why is the U.S. attacking Libya? Oil. The U.S. and Europe are happy with the Saudi and Bahrainian royalty and their oil supply so they choose to look the other way when their militaries kill innocent people. The Libyan government controls the largest reserves of oil in Africa and the imperialist powers are using the revolutions throughout the Arab world as an excuse to grab Libyan oil for themselves and to reassert their dominance in a region struggling for freedom.”

Aby continued, “On Saturday the U.S. military shot 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a cost of $2 million each at Libya. Who will pay for this war? Not the wealthiest in our society. It will come at the expense of the poor, programs for children, etc. The accounts of civilian deaths are piling up. We must raise our voices loudly and demand: Not one more death, not one more dollar - Hands off Libya!”


Philippine progressives and revolutionaries condemn attack on Libya

Statement by Staff | March 22, 2011
Fightbacknews.com

The leadership of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) issued an important press statement, March 22, opposing the war on Libya. The NDFP is the huge Filipino united front organization that’s fighting for democratic rights and to free the Philippines from foreign domination.

The statement, entitled “Why no ‘no fly zone’ over Gaza? National Democratic Front of the Philippines condemns imperialist war of aggression against Libya and the Libyan people” rejects the military moves made by the U.S., UK, France and their cohorts.

The statement notes, “Under the pretense of protecting the lives of Libyan civilians, these imperialist powers are violating the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Libya and are in the process of destroying the lives and property of the Libyan people. Deceptively declaring that they are undertaking a so-called humanitarian intervention, they repeat the imperialist wars of aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

“They aim to set up a puppet government and take over control of Libya's rich oil, gas and other natural resources. For this purpose, they are coddling and supporting a traitorous and retrogressive opposition group that brandishes the flag of the former King Idris.”

The statement contrasts the western powers treatment of Israel with that of Libya, noting “The imperialist powers collaborate with the Zionists in flouting UN resolutions.

They refuse to lift a finger to save the lives of Palestinian civilians: the mothers, children, elderly who have been subjected to brutal and massive invasion and massacre by the Israeli armed forces in December 2008, January 2009 and to the present day. ..Why is there no ‘no-fly-zone’ over Gaza to protect the Palestinian victims of Israeli aggression?”

The statement also points out that the western powers have rejected a number of peace initiatives stating, “Instead of the ‘no-fly-zone’ which has opened the way for the current imperialist military intervention, the peace plan offered by President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and supported by Cuban leader Fidel Castro and four other Presidents of Latin America, which Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi has accepted, ought to be carried out.

This peace plan has suggested former US President Jimmy Carter to lead the peace delegation. There is also the appeal of Qaddafi to the UN Security Council for an emergency session and for the UN to send a fact-finding mission to Libya.”

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